KUALA LUMPUR: Celebrating its first year anniversary, Malaysia's pioneer women's radio station Capital FM 88.9 is geared to present new features to empower its listeners.

Capital FM general manager Lyn­ette Ow said the station would be adding sections featuring a career coach, money experts, product reviews and a "style file" for the latest fashion trends, while maintaining segments like Talk of the Town and The Jam Break.

"We're adding features based on what our surveys have found about what women want. And what women want are bite-sized tips that will empower them.

"The survey also showed women like hearing a man's voice, if it's the right man! So listeners can look forward to a new man on the line up, although who it will be is still a secret," she said.

A survey by Capital FM in the third quarter of 2012 found that the station had garnered 120,000 listeners in the first year of its operation, not including those who listened online or downloaded the Capital FM app.

"I feel it's quite an achievement, considering we only broadcast in the Klang Valley and have a narrowcasting (targeting specific audience)," said Ow, during the station's anniversary party here yesterday.

She added that the focus on women's issues was a strength of the station, making it a cohesive part of the Star Radio Group, which includes 988, Red FM and Suria FM, as each had its own target audience.

Capital FM deejay Liang said he welcomed the addition of another man in the line-up, but jokingly added that it would make him feel "a little less special".

"Being surrounded by women all day has taught me a lot of new things. I can now name colours I wouldn't have even heard of a year ago," he said.

Deejay Joanne Kam, who co-hosts Talk of the Town with Xandria Ooi, said the biggest challenge she faced over the past year was waking up at 4.30am every day to host the morning talk show.

Ooi said the thing that most surprised her was how she and Kam had learnt to make it through the show without coffee.

"People complain there aren't enough hours in the day. Well, nothing like getting up before dawn and marching to work to leave you with a day full of possibilities," she said.

Singer and blogger Kelly Siew, 29, who was among the 60 people invited to the celebration, said she was an avid listener of the station as she enjoyed the music selection on The Jam Break.

Attendees who had won invites by calling in for a Capital FM contest were treated to make-up, hair make-overs, manicures, brunch and lucky draws at the anniversary bash.

NEWTOWN, Connecticut (Reuters) - Twelve girls and eight boys. One had celebrated her seventh birthday just four days before her death. They included Charlotte and Jack, Noah and Grace.

A memorial is seen along the road to Sandy Hook Elementary School a day after a mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut December 15, 2012. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Dressed in "cute kid stuff," all 20 died when a heavily armed 20-year-old gunman forced his way into their school, Sandy Hook Elementary, and shot them and six women in an act of violence that has shattered their once-tranquil suburban town.

"They were first-graders," said Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner Dr. H. Wayne Carver II, before releasing the names of all the victims of the school shootings on Saturday.

Asked to describe the attack, Carver, who oversaw the autopsies of all the victims and conducted many himself, called it "the worst I have seen."

The shooter, identified by law enforcement officials as Adam Lanza, killed his mother Nancy on Friday, then drove to the school where he gunned down another 26 people before taking his own life in one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.

He fired a rifle, shooting his victims multiple times. Parents identified their children through pictures, a process intended to minimize their shock, Carver said.

Members of the close-knit community went into public mourning on Saturday as the depth of the tragedy became clear.

"I don't know how to get through something like this," said Robbie Parker, a 30-year-old physician's assistant whose 6-year-old daughter Emilie was among the dead.

"My wife and I don't understand how to process this and how to get our lives going," Parker told reporters. The oldest of his three kids, Emilie, "could just light up a room," he said.

Police did not officially identify Lanza or his mother, but his father on Saturday issued a statement saying he too was struggling to understand his son's actions.

"No words can truly express how heartbroken we are," Peter Lanza said. "We are in a state of disbelief and trying to find whatever answers we can."

While Americans have seen many mass shootings in the past decades, the victims have rarely been so young. On Saturday, some Democratic lawmakers called for sweeping new gun-control measures, a move certain to run up against stiff opposition from the nation's powerful pro-gun lobby.

President Barack Obama plans to travel to the affluent suburb of 27,000 people about 80 miles (130 km) from New York City on Sunday to meet with victims' families and speak at a vigil at 7 p.m. local time (0000 GMT), the White House said.

In a nod to the sensitivities of the situation, the Fox TV network said late Saturday it would pull part of its regularly scheduled Sunday night block of animated shows - including a new episode of "American Dad" that featured in part a demon that punishes misbehaving children.

MISSING FROM THE NATIVITY

On Saturday night, the pews at Newtown's St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church were packed with parishioners attending a service that preceded an outdoor Nativity concert.

There was a live cow, a donkey and a camel. But at least one person was missing - 6-year-old Olivia Engel.

"She was supposed to be an angel in the play," said Reverend Robert Weiss. "Now she's an angel up in heaven."

Town fire officials set up 26 Christmas trees, decorated with stuffed animals, near the school as a memorial to the victims - many of whom were children who may have been hoping for such toys as their own holiday presents.

One of the victims, Josephine Gay, had celebrated her seventh birthday on Tuesday.

Rabbi Shaul Praver said he had spent time with Veronika Pozner, whose 6-year-old son Noah was among the victims.

"We encouraged her to focus on her other four children that need her and not to try to plan out the rest of her life," Praver said.

The adult victims, some of whom died defending the students, ranged in age from 27 to 56. Carver, the medical examiner, said all the bodies had examined had been shot with a rifle. He said he and his staff had not yet examined the shooter or his mother.

School officials said late Saturday they would keep all district schools closed Monday so staff could prepare for a Tuesday reopening. The one exception was Sandy Hook itself.

"We are very close to finalizing a plan that will allow Sandy Hook students to resume classes," school superintendent Janet Robinson said in a letter to the community. "We will communicate those details as soon as we can."

MOTIVES EMERGING

Police earlier said they had assembled "some very good evidence" on the killer's motives.

"Our investigators at the crime scene ... did produce some very good evidence in this investigation that our investigators will be able to use in, hopefully, painting the complete picture as to how - and more importantly why - this occurred," Connecticut State Police Lieutenant Paul Vance told reporters.

Lanza had struggled to fit in his suburban community and his mother Nancy pulled him out of school for several years to home-school him, said Louise Tambascio, the owner of My Place Restaurant, where his mother was a long-time patron.

Nancy Lanza legally owned a Sig Sauer and a Glock, both handguns commonly used by police, and a military-style Bushmaster .223 M4 carbine, according to law enforcement officials, who also said they believed Adam Lanza used at least some of those weapons.

But the details of why Lanza acted will be of little comfort to parents who will have to bury children at what should be one of the most festive times of the year.

"I looked underneath my Christmas tree and there's presents for my kids. How many others aren't able to give their kids presents? These people are going to be affected. Every time Christmas comes," said Benjamin Torres, 44, the owner of a roofing company in nearby Danbury who stopped in a local diner for breakfast Saturday.

The death toll exceeded that of one of the most notorious U.S. school shootings, the 1999 rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where two teenagers killed 13 students and staff before fatally shooting themselves.

At Virginia Tech, a Blacksburg, Virginia university where in 2007 a gunman killed 32 people in the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, an announcer extended sympathies to the residents of Newtown before a basketball game.

"This campus ... shares a deep sense of grief," the announcer said. "We open our hearts to that community."

NEWTOWN, Connecticut (Reuters) - Twelve girls and eight boys. One had celebrated her seventh birthday just four days before her death. They included Charlotte and Jack, Noah and Grace.

A memorial is seen along the road to Sandy Hook Elementary School a day after a mass shooting in Newtown, Connecticut December 15, 2012. REUTERS/Adrees Latif

Dressed in "cute kid stuff," all 20 died when a heavily armed 20-year-old gunman forced his way into their school, Sandy Hook Elementary, and shot them and six women in an act of violence that has shattered their once-tranquil suburban town.

"They were first-graders," said Connecticut Chief Medical Examiner Dr. H. Wayne Carver II, before releasing the names of all the victims of the school shootings on Saturday.

Asked to describe the attack, Carver, who oversaw the autopsies of all the victims and conducted many himself, called it "the worst I have seen."

The shooter, identified by law enforcement officials as Adam Lanza, killed his mother Nancy on Friday, then drove to the school where he gunned down another 26 people before taking his own life in one of the deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history.

He fired a rifle, shooting his victims multiple times. Parents identified their children through pictures, a process intended to minimize their shock, Carver said.

Members of the close-knit community went into public mourning on Saturday as the depth of the tragedy became clear.

"I don't know how to get through something like this," said Robbie Parker, a 30-year-old physician's assistant whose 6-year-old daughter Emilie was among the dead.

"My wife and I don't understand how to process this and how to get our lives going," Parker told reporters. The oldest of his three kids, Emilie, "could just light up a room," he said.

Police did not officially identify Lanza or his mother, but his father on Saturday issued a statement saying he too was struggling to understand his son's actions.

"No words can truly express how heartbroken we are," Peter Lanza said. "We are in a state of disbelief and trying to find whatever answers we can."

While Americans have seen many mass shootings in the past decades, the victims have rarely been so young. On Saturday, some Democratic lawmakers called for sweeping new gun-control measures, a move certain to run up against stiff opposition from the nation's powerful pro-gun lobby.

President Barack Obama plans to travel to the affluent suburb of 27,000 people about 80 miles (130 km) from New York City on Sunday to meet with victims' families and speak at a vigil at 7 p.m. local time (0000 GMT), the White House said in a statement.

MISSING FROM THE NATIVITY

Townsfolk packed into the church memorial services held throughout the day. On Saturday night, the pews at St. Rose of Lima were packed with parishioners standing at the rear of the church for a Nativity concert.

There was a live cow, a donkey and a camel. But at least one person was missing - 6-year-old Olivia Engel, who was to have had a role.

"She was supposed to be an angel in the play," said Reverend Robert Weiss. "Now she's an angel up in heaven."

Town fire officials set up 26 Christmas trees, decorated with stuffed animals, near the school as a memorial to the victims - many of whom were children who may have been hoping for such toys as their own holiday presents.

"Those innocent little boys and girls were taken from their families far too soon," said Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy. "Let us all hope and pray those children are now in a place where that innocence will always be protected."

One of the victims, Josephine Gay, had celebrated her seventh birthday on Tuesday.

Rabbi Shaul Praver said he had spent time with Veronika Pozner, whose 6-year-old son Noah, was among the victims.

"We encouraged her to focus on her other four children that need her and not to try to plan out the rest of her life," Praver said.

The adult victims, some of whom died defending the students, ranged in age from 27 to 56. Carver, the medical examiner, said all the bodies had examined had been shot with a rifle. He said he and his staff had not yet examined the shooter or his mother.

MOTIVES EMERGING

Police earlier said they had assembled "some very good evidence" on the killer's motives.

"Our investigators at the crime scene ... did produce some very good evidence in this investigation that our investigators will be able to use in, hopefully, painting the complete picture as to how - and more importantly why - this occurred," Connecticut State Police Lieutenant Paul Vance told reporters.

Shooter Adam Lanza had struggled at times to fit in in his suburban community and his mother Nancy pulled him out of school for several years, to home-school him, said Louise Tambascio, the owner of My Place Restaurant, where his mother was a long-time patron.

Nancy Lanza legally owned a Sig Sauer and a Glock, both handguns commonly used by police, and a military-style Bushmaster .223 M4 carbine, according to law enforcement officials, who also said they believed Adam Lanza used at least some of those weapons.

The death toll exceeded that of one of the most notorious U.S. school shootings, the 1999 rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado, where two teenagers killed 13 students and staff before fatally shooting themselves.

At Virginia Tech, a Blacksburg, Virginia university where in 2007 a gunman killed 32 people in the deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, an announcer extended sympathies to the residents of Newtown before a basketball game.

"This campus ... shares a deep sense of grief," the announcer said. "We open our hearts to that community."

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama has decided to nominate Massachusetts Senator John Kerry to be the next secretary of state, CNN and ABC News reported on Saturday, citing unnamed sources.

Kerry's nomination will not be announced for a variety of reasons, including the need to finalize the process and out of respect for the national mourning over Friday's school massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, ABC said.

U.S. Senator John Kerry arrives in the Capitol in Washington December 13, 2012. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

CNN, citing an unnamed Democrat, said the nomination could be made public as early as next week.

Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate in the 2004 election and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, would replace Secretary of State Hillary Clinton if confirmed by the Senate.

Clinton has decided to step down from her job in the Obama administration.

GRAND CAYMAN: Nicol David, who will be seeking to extend her record of world titles to seven in eight years on one of the world's most beautiful beaches, hopes to show that the pack of would-be rivals is not closing in on her.

The phenomenal Malaysian is one of the longest-lasting front runners in the whole of sport, but two losses in recent weeks have offered unexpected encouragement to those who believe the hunt may have found a scent.

These rare winners were Raneem El Weleily, the world number two from Egypt who has improved markedly during 2012, and Alison Waters, the world number seven from England, who has made a remarkable comeback from injury.

Their successes will have galvanised others to believe the chase can succeed.

However, David also has reasons for feeling encouraged.

Crucial after six-and-a half continuous years as world number one is to ensure she peaks for important events - and she has just done that rather well.

It was at the US Open in Philadelphia in October where she avenged herself on the two who had beaten her.

"It was a big achievement for me to win it that way," said David, hinting at evolving priorities as she moves into her 30th year.

"Recovery is key. It's key to preventing injuries, and keeping the body ready for each day."

She has not been helped in her need to prioritise in this way by a section of the media back home which described her losses as "shocking".

But David insists her motivation burns bright. "It's that will to improve myself, as a player, also trying to get to perfection, and there is a long way to go," she said.

"I just feel old, looking at all those young players, that just keep going!"

Weleily is 23, and as the number two seed, is in the other half of the draw of the World Open which starts on Monday.

Waters is 28 and seeded fourth but has landed in the champion's half. They may have a semi-final meeting though there are unusually tough hurdles for David before that.

Her first round is about the hardest she could have had - against Omneya Abdel Kawy, whom she played in the 2010 final in Sharm El Sheikh.

Since then injury has caused the Egyptian to fall from the top 20, until an excellent comeback in the last two months.

This opener could prove a thermometer of David's chances, for the champion has occasionally shown signs of vulnerability early on.

It may not get any easier though, for David has a likely third round with Nour El Sherbini, the 17-year-old Egyptian schoolgirl who contested this year's British Open final with her.

After that El Sherbini was widely touted as the player most likely to succeed David.

Insights as to how soon that might happen may shortly be available. - AFP

And that being the case, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong certainly deserve to stay together for the next two years, at least.

The pair will end the season with only the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold title under their belt but the way they've responded since failing to secure a medal at the London Olympics shows that all is not lost.

They were ranked outside the top five at the beginning of the year and not many believed they would be able to contend for a medal at the London Olympics in July.

And they nearly proved their critics wrong.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong reached the semi-finals but lost in the playoff for the bronze medal to South Korea's Lee Yong-dae-Chung Jae-sung.

Any lesser pair would have crumbled under such a devastating blow but the Malaysians rolled up their sleeves and bounced back stronger to reach the finals of the Japan Open and Denmark Open right after that.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong were also quarter-finalists in the French Open, semi-finalists in the China Open last month and finalists again in the Hong Kong Open recently.

They have slowly crept up to No. 2 in the world rankings and should continue to be a thorn to the likes of Olympic champions Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun and current world No. 1 Mathias Boe-Carsten Mogensen of Denmark.

Doubles head coach Pang Cheh Chang admitted that Kien Keat-Boon Heong "are no doubt still the best men's doubles pair in the country" judging by their consistency in the second half of the year.

"They still combine well. Our only concern is getting them to maintain this consistency. That's the hardest part," he said.

"They have the ability to fight and beat the other top pairs who are still around after the Olympics.

"It's now about getting them to finish off their opponents.

"We also need to take care of their condition as the badminton season is now hectic, with compulsory participation in the five Premier Super Series and five Super Series events.

"They played in 15 international tournaments this year.

"The ranking is not so important but the goal for them next year will be to shine at the World Championships in Guangzhou and the Sudirman Cup, which we are hosting in Kuala Lumpur," added Cheh Chang, who was pleased with their overall performance in the ongoing World Super Series Finals in Shenzhen.

The Malaysian pair were denied a place in the last four despite getting the better of Olympic silver medallists Boe-Mogensen on Thursday.

Haifeng-Cai Yun joined Boe-Mogensen in the semi-finals from Group A on better points difference compared to Kien Keat-Boon Heong.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong, who will play with different partners in the National Grand Prix Finals in Alor Setar from Dec 27-30, will resume their partnership for the Korean Open and Malaysian Open next month.

INDIAN star Saina Nehwal failed in her bid to cap her remarkable year after she went down fighting to reigning Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China last night.

Saina was unlucky not to clinch the opening game as she reached game-point at 20-16.

However, she made unforced errors to allow Xuerui to claw back and the tenacious Chinese went on to level 20-all, completing her stunning comeback with two trademark crosscourt smashes to win the first game.

Saina bounced back quickly to take the first game 7-21 but her troubled knee returned to haunt her.

Xuerui asserted control in the decider to win 21-13 to set up an-all China affair in the women's singles final against Wang Shixian.

It will be a battle of attrition with Shixian determined to prove a point when she faces Xuerui.

Shixian, who was left out of the London Olympics earlier this year at the expense of the lower ranked Xuerui, ended the gallant run of Ratchanok Intanon by beating the Thai teenager 21-12, 21-19.

Saina made the final last year but lost to Wang Yihan of China.

Yihan is not playing this time after pulling out due to injury and was replaced by Shixian.

China received a blow to their hopes of bagging the men's doubles crown for the first time after Olympic champions Fu Haifeng-Cai Yun had to hand a walkover to Japan's Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa in their semi-final.

Cai Yun strained his back while the Japanese were leading 13-9.

China's Chen Long inched closer to achieving what he failed to do last year after beating Hong Kong's Hu Yun 21-10, 21-18 in a men's singles match played earlier. Chen Long lost to Lin Dan in last year's final.

Danish mixed doubles pair Jaochim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen will have a chance to secure a second Super Series Finals title after they overcame Thai pair Sudket Prapakamol-Saralee Thoungthongkam 21-19, 21-13 for a final date with reigning Olympic champions Zhang Nan-Zhao Yunlei of China.

NEW YORK: Bank of America Corp has sued bond insurer MBIA Inc in a New York state court for allegedly interfering with the bank's offer to buy MBIA's bonds.

At issue are changes MBIA sought to make to the terms of some of its bonds to eliminate the risk that it might be considered in default if a troubled unit were put into rehabilitation or liquidation by New York regulators.

Bank of America countered with an offer to buy the bonds, saying it believed the changes would increase the risk of MBIA's insurance unit being placed in rehabilitation or liquidation, which could jeopardize all policyholder claims.

On Thursday, Bank of America said it had purchased $136 million of senior notes in that tender and issued a default notice over the attempt to change terms.

The bank claims in the lawsuit that the consent solicitation was the latest of MBIA's "premeditated and subversive actions" since 2008 to benefit executives and stockholders to the detriment of Bank of America and other policyholders.

In the lawsuit, filed late on Thursday, Bank of America alleged that MBIA illegally interfered with its tender offer and asked for the consent solicitation and amendment to be declared invalid. The bank also is seeking punitive and other damages.

MBIA spokesman Kevin Brown said: "Like its purported notice of default, Bank of America's latest lawsuit is meritless and we will respond to both accordingly."

MBIA shares fell 6.7 percent to $7.95 Friday on the New York Stock Exchange.

The legal wrangling is a major cloud hanging over both companies, which have struggled to recover from mortgage-related troubles from the financial crisis.

MBIA claims that Bank of America owes it billions of dollars over soured mortgages that it wants the bank to buy back. Bank of America says the insurer will likely owe it billions over certain credit default swap transactions.

MBIA and Bank of America were in court this week on pre-trial motions in a 2008 case the bond insurer brought against Bank of America's Countrywide Financial unit, accusing the lender of misrepresenting the quality of loans underlying mortgage-backed securities it insured.

MBIA claims the bank should be liable for refusing to buy back defective loans.

The two are also awaiting a decision by a New York judge over whether the state insurance department was right to approve MBIA's 2009 split into two units.

Bank of America claims it was harmed in the restructuring when $5 billion was transferred out of the MBIA unit that insures risky mortgage debt and into a new unit that guarantees municipal bonds. The judge must rule on whether to annul that split.

The newest case is Bank of America Corp. v MBIA Inc, New York State Supreme Court, 70444/2012, County of Westchester.

NEW YORK: The last two weeks of December are traditionally quiet for stocks, but traders accustomed to a bit of time off are staying close to their mobile devices, thanks to the "fiscal cliff."

Last-minute negotiations in Washington on the so-called fiscal cliff - nearly $600 billion of tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect in January that could cause a sharp slowdown in growth or even a recession - are keeping some traders and analysts from taking Christmas holidays because any deal could have a big impact on markets.

"A lot of firms are saying to their trading desks, 'You can take days off for Christmas, but you are on standby to come in if anything happens.' This is certainly different from previous years, especially around this time of the year when things are supposed to be slowing down," said J.J. Kinahan, chief derivatives strategist at TD Ameritrade in Chicago.

"Next week is going to be a Capitol Hill-driven market."

With talks between President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner at an apparent standstill, it was increasingly likely that Washington will not come up with a deal before January 1.

Gordon Charlop, managing director at Rosenblatt Securities in New York, will also be on standby for the holiday season.

"We are hopeful there is some resolution down there, but it seems to me they continue to walk that political tightrope... rather than coming up with something."

Despite concerns that the deadline will pass without a deal, the S&P 500 has held its ground with a 12.4 percent gain for the year. For this week, though, the S&P 500 fell 0.3 percent.

BEWARE OF THE WITCH

This coming Friday will mark the last so-called "quadruple witching" day of the year, when contracts for stock options, single stock futures, stock index options and stock index futures all expire. This could make trading more volatile.

"We could see some heavy selling as there is going to be a lot of re-establishing of positions, reallocation of assets before the year-end," Kinahan said.

Higher tax rates on capital gains and dividends are part of the automatic tax increases that will go into effect next year, if Congress and the White House don't come up with a solution to avert the fiscal cliff. That possibility could give investors an incentive to unload certain stocks in some tax-related selling by December 31.

Some market participants said tax-related selling may be behind the weaker trend in the stock price of market leader Apple . Apple's stock has lost a quarter of its value since it hit a lifetime high of $705.07 on September 21.

On Friday, the stock fell 3.8 percent to $509.79 after the iPhone 5 got a chilly reception at its debut in China and two analysts cut shipment forecasts. But the stock is still up nearly 26 percent for the year.

"If you owned Apple for a long time, you should be thinking about reallocation as there will be changes in taxes and other regulations next year, although we don't really know which rules to play by yet," Kinahan said.

But one indicator of the market's reduced concern about the fiscal cliff compared with a few weeks ago, is the defense sector, which will be hit hard if the spending cuts take effect. The PHLX Defense Sector Index is up nearly 13 percent for the year, and sits just a few points from its 2012 high.

DUBAI: An international telecommunications treaty signed by 89 countries out of a possible 144 on Friday will have little impact on how carriers operate or how consumers surf the web or make calls around the world when it comes into effect in 2015.

But the acrimonious debate over the treaty - and refusal of so many countries, including the United States and much of Europe, to sign up immediately - have exposed a deep split in the international community.

A U.S.-led bloc advocated a hands-off approach to the Internet, while Russia, China and much of Africa and the Middle East sought greater governmental oversight of cyberspace.

About 150 nations met in Dubai, under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to update a set of telecom rules dating back to 1988, before the Internet and mobile phones transformed communications. Their failure to find a consensus may herald a new fight over cyberspace.

"The world will still be around and countries will still cooperate along the lines they have done for decades," said Paul Budde, managing director of Sydney-based consultancy BuddeCom. "However, they have clearly drawn a line under how far they believe the ITU can go in relation to regulations that include the Internet."

As in a prior version, the International Telecom Regulations spell out guidelines on technical issues such as how carriers charge each other for incoming international phone calls, as well as taxation and accounting.

Countries that sign the treaty are supposed to be guided by its principles, although these have no force of law.

Users in countries that block certain content will still experience the same version of the Internet, while telecom operators will feel little impact because international call charges are decided via commercial contracts between them.

The new version added passages that became flash points: for example, four lines pushed by Russia and China on how governments should protect the security of networks.

The United States took a no-compromise position throughout negotiations, refusing to consider any references to the Internet in the treaty. Other countries instead agreed to restrict any explicit Internet provisions to a non-binding resolution that accompanies the treaty.

In the end, the debate over the Internet overshadowed all else at the summit, despite the ITU insisting that regulating cyberspace was not on the agenda.

As a result, some countries in Africa and the Middle East felt the controversy overshadowed important reforms, such as provisions to improve broadband access to landlocked and island nations, which may be weakened by fewer countries signing the treaty.

Other measures include a call for greater transparency in roaming charges, which the ITU hopes will end "bill shock", plus commitments to improve disabled access to telecom services and for governments to reduce telecom equipment waste.

A clause calling for countries to stop "unsolicited bulk electronic communications" - spam - drew the ire of the U.S. bloc, which said it could be interpreted by governments to block emails, an accusation the ITU vehemently denied.

"Whatever is in place now doesn't seem to be working and this treaty calls on governments - it's a dirty word for some, but somebody has to do it - to cooperate to see what we can do better in that area," said Richard Hill, chief counselor for International Telecommunication Union's Dubai summit.

These issues are more vital in developing countries, with other countries having already addressed them to a large extent, so richer nations had less incentive to sign the treaty.

"That's certainly the case, but it's no secret they're not signing for political reasons," added Hill.

After 12 days of rancorous, largely private negotiations, the bad feeling between the two opposing camps may take some time to ease. Delegates from the pro-treaty group accused the United States and Europe of reneging on a compromise agreement that fell apart on Thursday.

ITU officials on Friday gave an upbeat interpretation of the summit, predicting many of the countries that had yet to sign the treaty would do so once they have consulted with their respective legislatures. But the failed attempts by some member states to significantly extend the ITU's remit into the Internet have weakened the 147-year-old organisation.

"The ITU won't become irrelevant but it tried to claim some of the Internet without having the mandate to do so," said a European delegate who declined to be identified. "It saw an opportunity, but both the triumph and the curse of the ITU is that it can't instigate anything, it depends on member states - some said let's expand the mandate and others said let's not."

The first of three "Hobbit" movies kicked off its box office quest with an estimated $13 million in ticket sales from showings at U.S. and Canadian theaters just after midnight on Friday, a record for a December debut.

The performance topped the $8 million from midnight sales for December 2003 film "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King." "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is a highly anticipated prequel to the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

"The Hobbit" also rung up sales of $27.3 million in 42 international markets since its overseas debut on Wednesday, distributor Warner Bros. said. Combined with the early North American (U.S. and Canadian) sales, the global total stands at an estimated $40.3 million.

The new 3D film follows the epic journey of hobbit Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, as he travels with a band of dwarves to steal treasures from the dragon Smaug. The film is directed by Oscar-winning "Lord of the Rings" filmmaker Peter Jackson and features many of the stars of the earlier films. All of the movies are based on classic novels by J.R.R. Tolkien.

"The Hobbit" likely will finish the weekend with domestic sales of $75 million or more from Friday through Sunday, predicts Paul Dergarabedian, president of the box office division of Hollywood.com.

Some analysts have projected three-day domestic sales may top $100 million, though no movie has opened that big in December, a time when children are in school and families are busy with holiday activities. T he North American record for the month of December belongs to Will Smith sci-fi film "I Am Legend," which debuted with $77.2 million in 2007.

The "Lord of the Rings" movies, which debuted from 2001 to 2003, brought in $2.9 billion at global box offices.

Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc , distributed "The Hobbit." Warner Bros.' New Line Cinema and MGM produced the film.

Zulkifli Mohd Noor, one of the DAP Malay candidates said he fought for 25 years for the Malays to be elected as CEC members but failed.

"When we say 'Malaysian Malaysia,' we must represent all religions, all races...balance. The message I conveyed did not reached the grassroots. They are still choosing leaders based on race," he told Bernama.

He said that the election was also not based on ability and experience of the candidates in fighting for the party.

"There is no change. The results is a setback for Malay candidates. Perhaps the top leaders who contested want to take care of their own interests, not the party's interests." - BERNAMA

KLANG: A female staff of a welfare home in Batu 3, Taman Mewah in Kapar, here, received a big shock when she opened a box she thought was filled with trash and found a baby girl.

According to a police source, the woman arrived for work at 4am when she found the the box with the baby and items including milk, medicine, clothes and a note written in Chinese.

"The woman first thought there was trash in the box, but when she tried moving the box it felt heavy. Upon opening the box she found a baby inside," the source said.

When she realised the baby was still alive, the woman immediately lodged a report at the Bukit Raja police station here.

The source said the police had viewed closed-circuit television (CCTV) recordings which showed a woman leaving the box in front of the premises. The baby, believed to be nine days old, is now placed at the Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Hospital (HTAR) here.

GEORGE TOWN: It was a family affair as DAP adviser and Ipoh Timur MP Lim Kit Siang and his son, party secretary general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, took the top two slots at the central executive committee (CEC) elections held here on Saturday.

Kit Siang garnered the most votes from the delegates - 1,607 while Guan Eng received 1,576 votes.

Party chairman Karpal Singh's strong stance on issues held him in good stead as he emerged with the third most votes - 1,411.

In the elections in 2008, Karpal only received 471 votes placing him in ninth spot.

Once Upon A Car: The fall and resurrection of America's Big Three Automakers - GM, Ford and Chrysler

Author: Bill Vlasic

Publisher: William Morrow

Award-winning journalist Vlasic goes inside the boardroom and factories in a story about Detroit's fight for survival. It chronicles how the auto-makers teetered on collapse and pulled themselves out under the leadership of Ford and the US government's assistance to GM and Chrysler. It's a tale of success, failure and redemption, a tale that is an important chapter in an astonishing story that is still unfolding.

Extreme Productivity

Author: Robert C. Pozen

Publisher: Harper Business

Pozen reveals the secrets to workplace productivity and high performance. His book is for anyone feeling overwhelmed by an existing workload – facing a myriad of competing demands and multiple time-sensitive projects, offering antidotes to a calendar full of boring meetings and a backlog of e-mails. Extreme Productivity explains how to determine your highest priorities and match them with how you actually spend your time.

Islamic Finance for Dummies

Author: Faleel Jamaldeen

Publisher: Wiley

Here, you will find clear and easy-to-understand information on how the Islamic finance industry works. You will quickly and easily become acquainted with the theory, practice and limitations of Islamic banking, understand how Islamic financial firms develop products, grasp the objectives and sources of Islamic law and the basic guidelines for business contracts, learn about Islamic fund management, sukuk and insurance; and more.

I've grown accustomed to that reaction. I just don't know if it stems from curiosity, wonder, pity or perhaps even envy. Maybe it's a combination of everything. But this doesn't bother me.

These days, it's not that uncommon to stumble across single women over the age of 30.

We all have our reasons — some love their jobs so much that if they could marry them, they would. Others prefer to wait until they find someone really suitable ("I've waited this long, what's another few years?") while some claim that the timing was just not right, or perhaps, upon deeper reflection, it was a case of jodoh belum sampai (haven't met Mr. Right) as the Malays would say it.

Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps. I leave that to God. He, I believe, knows what's best for us.

For me, the best thing about being single is freedom. I'm not obliged to answer to a man and I don't have to worry how my decisions may affect him. I can make plans at a moment's notice without consulting him. In short, I can be selfish (grin).

Being on my own also means that I have to be independent and responsible for my actions. Knowing that I can take care of myself is very satisfying. It builds character and boosts self-worth.

A few months ago, a close friend took the plunge and uprooted her family so that they could live abroad. They were doing it for their children's sake — a better life and education.

I confided in my sister: "Wouldn't it be wonderful — to be able to pack up and leave? Find a job, learn about a new culture and make new friends?

Singlehood makes it easier for me to do the things that I'd like to do. I just need to push myself and see how far I can stretch my capabilities. When the possibilities are endless, everything boils down to you having the courage to overcome your fears and shine.

But not every day is a sunny day for the singleton.

There will come a time, when loneliness creeps in. It comes without warning, scaring the daylights out of you. Big L is a lurker, I tell you. He pounces on you when you least expect it.

A few years ago, when most of my girlfriends had settled down, I shied away from gatherings attended by couples.

It took me a while to accept a close friend's invitation for Christmas dinner. The thought of being Bridget Jones facing Uncle Geoffrey was too much for me.

In the end, I realised I was being silly. I ended up at Arleen's and had loads of fun. No one asked when I was going to settle down (and I didn't have to ask them when they were going to have a baby / another baby).

Once, I was caught in a room full of mothers (and mothers-to-be). I felt like a man as my eyes glazed over when they started talking about breastfeeding, vacuum extraction (what???) and episiotomy (I learnt that it had to do with snipping of a certain body part).

Worse still, is when hundreds worth of baby photos (at various stages) are uploaded on Facebook and Instagram. When this happens, I simply share pictures of my cats.

But things aren't all that bad. I have wonderful friends who seem more than happy to have me around, be it social or family gatherings. Sure, once in a while they ask me "how's the love life?" To which I cheerfully reply, "there is no love". They take the hint and move on to other things.

During Hari Raya, my friend's son asked me: "Auntie, where are your children?" You have to love kids — they're so curious and blunt. "Well, I don't have any. But if I have children some day, you can make friends with them".

All in all, I'm happy to live vicariously through friends who are mothers while enjoying my freedom and independence. I'm grateful for the chance to play the doting aunt from time to time.

Until someone decent comes along, I shall enjoy my singlehood and just go with the flow.

"USJ20 The New Beginning 3-on-3 Basketball Challenge" will take place on Dec 29 at 19, USJ City Mall between 8am and 8pm. It is open to Malaysians aged 12 and above. No Sukma, state or national players allowed. Participants need to register their team at the venue an hour before the event starts. Registration fee is RM100 per team. For details, visit www.pemainbolakeranjang.com or call 012-330 7676 (Wai Hoong) and 017-233 2706 (Yu Chung).

FREE DIET CLINIC

Sri Kota Specialist Medical Centre Klang will be organising a free Diet Clinic on Dec 22 and 29 from 8.30am to 12.30pm. There will be pre-screening programme, tips and advice by dietitian and physiotherapist. Seats are limited. To make an appointment, call 03-3373 3636 ext 7313/7335/7356.

BOOK EXCHANGE

The last Subang Jaya Book Exchange Programme is tomorrow. There will be food and drinks, goodie bags for the first 30 children who participate in the book exchange. For details, visit www.facebook.com/sjusjbep or call 012-224 9721.

VI GET-TOGETHER

Class of '79 (Form Five) and '81 (Form Six) of Victoria Institution are invited to a reunion which will be held today at 6.30pm at Holiday Villa Hotel and Resort Suites in Subang Jaya. For details, call 017-334 9036 (Leong) or 016-236 4818 (Joyce).

ROAD CLOSURE

New Pantai Expressway on both directions will be closed in stages from KM0.0 until KM19.6 from now until Feb 2, 2013, between 9pm and 6am daily, to facilitate resurfacing works. For details, call 1300 88 1010.

KOTA KINABALU: Children's laughter filled the seaside pool at the Sutera Harbour Resort during a Christmas party for the underprivileged.

Over 30 children from the Bukit Harapan (home for the disabled) and Papar Children's Home (shelter home for underprivileged children) were treated to a half-day party at the resort near the city.

The party started with fun-filled games for the children at about 10am, and then proceeded with a luncheon where they were entertained by the Magical Clown.

The children were clapping and smiling throughout the event, catching also the attention of hotel guests during their sunbathing session.

The hotel staff also distributed Christmas gifts to the children and had a cake-cutting ceremony towards the end of the event.

Marketing Communications manager Mayang Ismail said the annual event was a way for the resort to give back to the society and care for the less fortunate.

"We are also sharing the message of giving during this season with the public through such events," he said.

Meanwhile, Sutera Harbour Resort is also selling soft toys such as the Pygmy Elephant and Sumatran Rhino, whereby proceeds from the sales of these toys will be donated to the Paitan Kindergarten (a makeshift kindergarten), Emmanuel Home (houses orphans and poor children) and My Care Sdn Bhd.

KUANTAN: The Government continues to implement the programmes which will benefit all including reliable in-town bus services to Kuantan folks.

Pahang Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Adnan Yaakob said the Rapid Kuantan bus service was actually initiated by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak last August for his concern on the needs of a reliable and efficient public transport.

Adnan said two months later, the proposed Rapid Kuantan bus service was at its final stage of progress and was officially launched to provide a better quality service.

He said the people's needs have been Najib's priority.

"The Rapid Kuantan is part of our efforts to upgrade the community accessibility for the public's benefit and not for profit .

"Normally, most public bus services would not be that profitable considering its high operational costs and low fares paid by the passengers.

"However, because our main concern is to provide better services, comfort, reliability and efficiency, we still deliver despite the low profit margin in operating costs," Adnan said after launching the Rapid Kuantan bus services in Terminal Makmur here recently.

He was asked to comment on claims by Opposition that the Rapid Kuantan was their effort and claims by others that the services was implemented after the Opposition have raised the issue.

Adnan said as Malay proverb says: Ayam tak berkokok pun, hari tetap siang meaning that even without the Opposition efforts, the Government will still be providing all kinds of services to the benefit of the people.

He said one of the three routes for the bus services is non-profitble but it would be compensated by the two other routes.

Its services will cover Gambang, Semambu, Indera Mahkota, Beserah, Court Complex, Teluk Chempedak and the town centre while the public can expect the buses to arrive at a frequency of 15 minutes interval.

KOTA KINABALU: Fifty years ago, volunteers from the United States of America arrived at Malaysia and played their part in Malaysia's early development through the Peace Corps programme.

The first batch of young Americans then totalled 36 which later rose to about 4,000 over the years, providing skills and trainings to assist in national development.

Some volunteers taught math, science and English while others helped establish agricultural organisations and public work programmes, or played critical roles in the fight against tuberculosis and improving public health.

The Peace Corps Programmes came to an end in 1983 when the nation was matured enough to go about their social, economic and education development.

Now, half a decade later, the U.S Embassy Kuala Lumpur and Sabah State Library have decided to rekindle the nostalgia of past volunteers in the country by having a two-week Peace Corps photograph exhibition at the Sabah State Library in Penampang that began on Dec 11.

U.S Embassy Counselor for Public Affairs Bonnie Gutman said the event would rekindle past volunteers and those involved in the programme and share their stories with youth on what happened back then.

"The Peace Corps programme shows how good the relations between Malaysia and America was, and still is," she said.

Meanwhile, Community Develop-ment and Consumer Affairs Minister Datuk Azizah Dun said the programme and relation fostered between these two nations allowed for knowledge exploration on a global scale.

"It also provides a two-way communication, job and education opportunities which definitely benefits all," she said at the launch of the exhibition at the Sabah State Library on Dec 11.

Her speech was delivered by assistant minister of the ministry, Datuk Herbert Timbun Lagadan.

On other developments, the exhibition portrayed pictures of the activities held during the Peace Corps era, as well as news pieces of volunteers' inspiring tales and recollections.

The Peace Corps programme was initiated by the then President of the United States, John F. Kennedy with the first Executive Order of his administration on Feb 1961.

The birth of Peace Corps corresponded to a rapidly changing world where new nations were born as they shook off the last vestiges of colonial bonds.